Switch-point protector



. Jim 19, 1928? 1,674,178 E. R. PACKER SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR FiledSept. 22, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 E3 1.

17 a 512 g? I I 1 I 1 l NJ -4 INVEN I ATTORNE Q June 19, 1928. 1,674,178

E. R. PACKER SWITCH POINT PROTECTOR Filed Sept. 22, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Mb q INVENTOR W ATTORNEY K switch point of excessive pressures.

Patented June 19, 1928.

warren stares 1,634,178 earsnrorr cs.

nnnn RAY IPAGKER, on NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, Ass'IGnoa 'ro Q a oCOMPANY, or new YORK, n. Y., A oonronnrron or MAINE.

SWITCH-POINT PROTECTOR.

Application filed September 22, 1926. "Seria1 No. 136,940.

This invention relates to improvements in switch point protectors forrailway switches or turnouts and consists in features of constructionand arrangement designed to produce an improved device adapted to beefiicient in eliminating or reducing wear and damage to switch points,to reduce derailments at switch points and the hazards and costs inconnection therewith, to have ade quate strength, to be economical ofmanufacture, to allow of economy in the replacement or renewal of thewearing surfaces or parts and to produce other important advantages overdevices as heretofore used for the purpose.

The device of the present invention may desirably be designed whereby inoperating to relieve the switch point. of excessive wear and damage, itis positioned to be engaged by the outeror tread side surface of a caror locomotive wheel and is of a form whereby such engagement will movethe wheel laterally and in the direction of switching a distancesutlicient to be fully clear of endwise engagement with the switch pointand to relieve the reduced end portion of the This desirable arrangementprovides for the positioning of the protector member at the outer sideof the rail adjacent to the switch point, which is important from theoperating standpoint in that it fully eliminates any hazard or dangerfactor as related to the protector member becoming displaced or loosenedas would bepresent where the protector member positioned at the innerside of the track rail or within the fiangeway. A particular feature ofthe present improvements resides in a perfected form and design of theprotector member which is preferably composed of two parts comprising asupporting member and an insert orbearing portion member formativelyproviding the wearing or contact surfaces and which latter member maydesirably be made of a manganese steel casting so as to afford greaterdurability and resistance to wear. Further desirable features includethe rela' tive design of the supporting member and the wear insertmember whereby the insert member will be positively secured in itssupporting and operating position in the assembling of the device andwhereby thesevere lateral thrusts, as well as the longitudinalpressures, will be resisted by the supporting member independent ofseparable securing means.

The foregoing and other features and ad- I ent invention.

Fig. 3 is a verticalcross-sectional view taken on line 00 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is vertical cross-sectional view taken on line g g of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of my improved 3 protector as viewed fromthe inside of the track rail.

'Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional View similar to Fig. showing asuitable 1nodification of the structure.

The improved switch point protector as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, comprisesa deflector member a adapted to be positioned as shown upon the outerside of the main track rail 1,

opposite to the extreme end or reduced portion of the movable rail orswitch point 2. The protector a consists of a supporting member 2composed of an upper or head-portion 3, a vertical web portion 4 and abase or flange portion 5. Upon the upper or-head portion 8, there isremovably' mounted a separable insert or hearing member 6' having anupwardly extended longitudinal bearing portion or deflecting flange 7,positioned to have its inwardly directed surface engaged by the outer ornon-flange surface of a car wheel for the purpose of inwardly deflectingthe latter and for this purpose, having its end portions outwardlyflaredas shown at 88. The separable insert member 6 may desirably bemade of a manganesejsteel casting orofa high grade steel alloy havingthe properties of high resistance to wear and is further of a form withrelation tothesupporting member whereby the severe outward pressuresapplied thereto will be resisted by and transmitted to the supportingmember independent of bolts or other securing means. To this end, thehead portion of the supporting member 2 is of a form providing inner andouter vertical and longitudinally extending shoulder portions 9 and 10and the underside of the insert member 6 is of a complemental form toprovide shoulders opposed to and engaging the shoulders 9 and 10,thereby resisting outward move ment of the insert member with referenceto the supporting member 2. The headenlarge ment of the supportingmember is desirably termed at its inner marginal edge with spacedupwardly extended lugs ll'having engagement with the underside of therail head/ In further accordance with the preg nt inv n ieny ins t b a gm b i formed at its inner edge portion with a shoulder 12 bearingagainst side of the track rail head and with lower inner marginalshoulder extensions or lugs l3, iorined to have bearing engagement withunder side or fishing surtace of the traelz rail head with the functiono tresisting tilting action underthe severe lateral thrust received fromthe rolling stock. A furtherdesirable feature o f my improvedconstruction censists in provision for inter-engagement between theinsert bearing member 6 and the supporting member 2 torthe purpose ofsecuring the insert member against lengitudinal movement with referenceto the. supporting me nher. To this end the innermargin al flangeportion of the head 3 of the supporting member is cut out or recessed at15l5 an; the insert member is formedat its lower,

" inner marginal portion with downwardly extended lugs or shoulders 16,formed as enl ng nlent Q e ng 13 and sea i=0 fit the recesses 15 toprovideshoulder engagemen vbe we n th in er d s pe ti is membersopposing longitudinal movement of the former. a

T base P rt on i f med, a Sh w have spacing engagement with the fishingsurface of the rail base flange and is {provided with outwardlyextending base flange portions 17 adapted for spiking to the ties and isformed at its underside with longitudinal recess 18 to receive ashoulder Xenilargementc 19 upon the bearing plate or switch plate 19positioned to underlie the rail in the usual manner. The deflectormember'as a whole is arranged to be secured ;to the track rail by meansof boltsl20, fitted .to suitable apertures the rail and deflectormemberand threaded .at their outer end portions to receive the clampingnuts '21. As a further desirable feature of improvement the separableinsert member 6 is formed with depending lugs .22 having openings toreceive the securing bolts, where by the bolts operate as a securingmeans vfor the device as .a whole and likewise function tosccure theinsert member againstdisplacement. r 7

While I have described and shown an approved embodiment of the featureson": my present improvements, it will be understood that variedmodifications may be made therein without departing from'the scope ofthe invention as defined inthe appended claims. As illustrative thereof,there is shown in Fig. 6 a desirable modified structure wherein thedevice conforms generally to the arrangement of the preceding figuresbut wherein the head port on Off the supporting member and the insertmember 6 are apertured to receive the clamping bolts Q L fitted with thenuts 26 i'or independently securing the insert member. As will v a:noted, this ar rengement allows of removing the insert member forreplacement without dependence upon {theniain securing bolts attachment.described my invention I claim: l switch point protector adapted for usein combination with a main rail and a movable switch point operative lyassociated therewithand tobe positioned for deflecting car wheel in thedirection of switching so as to clear the end of theswitch point,comprising a supporting member and a separable bearing insert "memberformed with a deflecting shoulder portion positioned to be engaged bythe car wheel and said supporting and insert members being vformed tohave inter-engagement oppo ed to relative movement of said members bothin lateral andlongitudinal,directiqn. w 2. A, switch point proteetoradapted for use in combination with a main rail and movable switch point ofperatively associated therewith to positioned for deflecting thecarwheel in the direction of switchso as to clearthe'endgof the switchpoint eemprising a supportingmember and aseparable bearing insert memberformed with a deflecting shoi ilderportiqn positioned'to be engaged byacar wheel said insert member having an inwardly extended shoulderengaging the under side of the rail head and said supporting and insertmembers formed for inter-engagement opposed to relative movement both inlateral and longitudinal direetion.

I 3; A switch point protector adapted for use in combination with a mainrail and a movable switch point operatively associated therewith and tobe positioned for deflecting the car wheel in the directon of switchingso as to clear the end of the switeh point, comprising a supporting;"member, and a sepa rable bearing insert member formed with a deflectingshoulder portionpositioned to be enga ed by a car wheel, said supportingmember and iirsert member being formed with aligned openings andsecuring bolts fitted to said openings and to themain rail for securingsaid members in assembled relation and in operating position.

4. A switch point protector of the charac ter described; comprising asupporting member and a separable bearing insert member formed with adeflecting shoulder portion positioned to be engaged by a car wheel,said supporting member being composed of a head portion, a web portionand a base portion, said head portion being formed with a shoulderdirected toward the rail and said insert member being formed with anoutwardly directed shoulder opposed to said supporting member shoulderand with depending lugs for engagement with the supporting member tooppose relative longitudinal movement of the members.

5. A switch point protector of the character described comprising asupporting member and a separable bearing insert member formed with adeflecting shoulder portion positioned to be engaged by a car wheel,said supporting member being composed of a head portion, a web portionand a base portion, said head portion being formed to have engagementwith the fishing surface of the rail head and with a shoulder directedtoward the rail and said insert member being formed with an outwardlydirected shoulder opposed to the supporting member shoulder and with aninwardly extended shoulder engaging the fishing surtace of the rail headand means for securing the protector with relation to the rail.

6. A switch point protector of the charac ter described comprising asupporting member and a separable bearing insert member formed with adeflecting shoulder portion positioned to be engaged by a car wheel,said supporting member being composed of a head portion, a web portionand a base portion, said head portion being formed with spaced inwardlyextended lug portions engaging the underside of the rail head and with alongitudinally extending shoulder directed toward the rail and saidinsert member being formed with an outwardly directed shoulder opposedto the supporting member shoulder. and with inwardly extended lugportions positioned to engage the underside of the rail head andlongitudinally opposed to the supporting member lugs and means forsecuring the protector with relation to the rail.

7. A switch point protector of the character described comprising asupporting memv head portion, a web portion and a base por-.

tion, said head portion being formed with spaced inwardly extending lugsengaging the underside of the rail head and with a longitudinallyextending shoulder directed toward the rail and said insert member beingformed with an outwardly directed shoulder opposed to the supportingmember shoulder and with inwardly extended lug portions positioned toengage the underside of the rail head and longitudinally opposed to thesupporting member lugs and with depending portions having openings for asecuring means and securing bolts fitted to apertures in the rail andsupporting member and to said depending portion openings for securingthe protector to the rail and theparts in assembled relation.

8. A switch point protector of the character described comprising asupporting member and a separable bearing insert member formed with adeflecting flange portion positioned to be engaged by a car wheel, saidsupporting member being composed of a head portion, a web portion and abase portion, said head portion being formed to have engagement with theunderside of the rail. head and with a shoulder directed toward therail, said portion formed to bear upon the upper surface of the railbase flange and formed upon its underside with a longitudinallyextending groove, said insert member being formed with an outwardlydirected shoulder opposed to the supporting member head shoulder andwith shoulders engaging the supporting member in opposition tolongitudinal movement and a tie plate positioned to underlie the trackrail and having 95 a shoulder fitted to the grooove of the supportingmember base portion.

Signed at New York city in the county of New York and State of New Yorkthis 21st day of July, A. D. 1926.

' EBEN RAY PACKER.

